The Signet Ring

 

https://www.neatie.com/Signet-Rings-

"March is often recognized as a month of extremes and a battle between two seasons: winter and spring… AccuWeather meteorologists say."[1]

 

A battle between two extremes? Winter and spring, cold and heat, but is there more?

 

Spiritually, March has always been a battle, not only of seasons but of good versus evil. This portion of our year sees so much the enemy of our soul hates. Take the "jolly Jewish holiday of Purim…celebrated every year on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar (late winter/early spring). Purim 2024 begins on Saturday night, March 23, and continues through Sunday, March 24…"[2]

 

Purim, meaning lots, comes from the Book of Esther. "It commemorates the (Divinely orchestrated) salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian empire from Haman's plot "to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants, and women, in a single day."[3]

 

I was excited the Jews saw Esther as "Divinely orchestrated salvation," but to them, it was only physical. Their eyes were and still are blinded to the way the Book of Esther shows humanity's spiritual dilemma and God's True salvation by type or foreshadow. But how so?

 

While Esther tells of wicked Haman desiring to annihilate the Jews, casting lots to decide the month and day, and sealing Jewish destruction with the king's signet ring, it also shows God's hand at work and His way of escape. In my opinion, this is the reason our LORD has inspired the Jews to read the entire Book of Esther every year on Purim. Some day He will open their eyes to their dilemma and His Truth contained therein.

 

What Truth? Wicked Haman sealed the Jews' annihilation with King Xerxes's signet ring. And, unbeknownst to Haman and the king, Esther, Xerxes' beautiful wife, was a Jew—a nationality she could not modify. So, the wife of the king and her people were sentenced to death by the king's own law. In Medo-Persia, no law could be changed or altered even by the king once it was signed.

 

How does this relate to our human dilemma?

 

We are born with a sin nature that we cannot modify.[4] Before sin entered, our heavenly King had already set sin's penalty as death, an unchangeable law because it is God's Word, and He does not change.[5]

Unless something happened to counteract this death sentence, we would die in our sin just as the Jews would have died in all one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of Xerxes.

 

But something did happen! In Esther, the king's signet ring on the hand of Mordecai, Esther's uncle and adopted father, was used to seal another document into law. It allowed the Jews to arm themselves and fight their enemies on the very day the first law assigned annihilation.

 

So, the king's signet ring had set the penalty, and the king's signet ring saved.

 

But can a Signet Ring save us?

 

Consider this: A signet ring was the symbol or image of the king's name used by another to seal a document, making it as official as if the king signed with his own hand.

 

Scripture confirms Jesus was (and still is) the express image of the invisible God, in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily.[6] Jesus said, "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me…I and My Father are one…As the Father knows Me, even so, I know the Father, and I lay down My life for the sheep (us)…No one takes my life from Me…I have power to lay it down, and power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."[7]

 

Can you see Esther's imperfect type and foreshadow of our PERFECT Signet Ring? Yeshua, Jesus, as the Signet of the Father, came from heaven to save us from the penalty of the King's Own Law.

Demonstrating His great love, He paid sin's penalty for us—His death on the cross. Three days later, Yeshua resurrected from the dead. After His ascension back to heaven, He sent His Holy Spirit to SEAL true believers—the document.[8] Wow!

 

Have a wonderful and awe-filled Purim, Palm Sunday,

AND Resurrection Day!

 I love you all

 

Anita

 



[3] ibid

[4] Romans 5:8, 12; Romans 7:24-25

[5] Genesis 2:17; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8

[6] Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:15-19; Colossians 2:9

[7] John 5:43; John 10:30; John 10:15, 18

[8] John 16:7; Ephesians 1:13-14, Ephesians 4:30

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